First, this is a series I think is best read in order so the reader learns the history of Delaney and the Cracked Spine Bookstore. But if you are not reading in order, no worries, it can be read as a standalone. Jump in and join the tour of Edinburgh with Delaney thanks to her missing boss. Every year he leads a literary tour of the city picking four of his customers to join him. Suddenly and mysteriously he disappears leaving Delaney to fill in. All seems fine until she is told that his credit card has been declined and she ends up paying the bill so the four members of the tours can stay at the Inn. As that is taken care of the owner of the Inn takes a fall off the roof - accident or was he pushed? and a staff member is found seriously beaten. Several threads twist together in the mystery that Delaney has to deal with. It's well developed and satisfying, keeping me up past my bedtime to reach the great reveal.
My thanks to the publisher Minotaur and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I know I say this with each installment, but Fateful Words is my new favorite from the series. I just adore all of these characters and enjoy seeing what they’re up to in Edinburgh.

Paige writes such an intriguing, complex mystery and I look forward to picking up the clues and putting them all together alongside Delaney. (Even though I’m usually stumped until the end.😅)

With this being the 8th installment, I feel like I should have Edwin figured out, but he just keeps getting more interesting with each book.

This series is one of my all time favorites and I encourage you to read it from the very first book so you don’t miss out on all the friendships, inside jokes, and character development.

Fateful Words is part of the Scottish Bookshop Mystery series and is set in Scotland. I always enjoy the authors descriptions of Edinburgh and the bookish connections that exist in the city. This time, Delaney is helping out her boss Edwin by conducting a private tour around Edinburgh for a group of book lovers. Edwin has unexpectedly be called out of town and Delaney is forced to step in for him. When a murder occurs, Delaney tries to stay out of the investigation. But as the mystery deepens, and Edwin's personal issues seem to be connected, Delaney finds herself at the heart of what is going on. While there are new characters to meet in the story, it is nice to have so many familiar faces in the story. This is a fast paced cozy, which has a nice set up and satisfying conclusion. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

Thank you Minotaur Books for the gifted arc.

Fateful Words is the eighth book in the A Scottish Bookshop Mystery series by Paige Shelton.

When Delaney arrives at The Cracked Spine bookstore, she learns Edwin has been called away to London and taken Hamlet with him. Being called away couldn’t have come at a worse time. Edwin picks four customers from his customer base for an all-expenses paid tour of Edinburgh, which will begin today. Delaney knows she can’t do as well as Edwin but will strive to do a respectable job. Delaney stops by the inn where the group will be staying and learns that Edwin’s credit card has been rejected. She knows there was an error and pays the bill with her card. Later that day, as Delaney and her husband, Tom, leave his pub, they notice someone dressed in black running from the inn. As they get to the pub, they find the desk clerk lying on the ground; she has been beaten and probably received a concussion. While waiting for her to be transported to the hospital, they hear a scream from the side of the inn. They find that the inn manager has either jumped or was pushed from the inn's roof.

Delaney asks the group if they want to continue with the tour or come back at another time, and they all agree to continue the tour. One group member disappears a day or two into the tour. Delaney, Tom, and tour group members will begin investigating the disappearance of the group member and investigate if the manager's death was an accident or murder.

I love this series. The books are well-written and plotted. The author skillfully includes the history of Scotland and Edinburgh. The characters are enjoyable and well-developed, and I would love to be friends. There were enough twists and turns that I was kept guessing until the end. The book reads at a steady pace.

I’m eagerly awaiting the next book in the series.

Paige Shelton’s book are always great, and her latest, Fateful Words, is no exception. In this book Delaney is assigned by her boss, Edwin, to run his literary tour of Edinburgh .. Unfortunately on the very first night, at he inn where the tour group of four people plus Delaney are staying,, the manager either falls or is pushed off the roof of the inn and dies. Next, a member of the tour group goes missing. The reason that Delaney is running the tour in the first place is that Edwin had left the store abruptly and under mysterious circumstances he does not disclose. Could things possibly get worse? Of course, Delaney, who already has her hands full, must investigate to find out what happened to he inn manager and where the missing tour group member has gone.

This is the eighth book in the Scottish Bookshop series. It’s hard to pick a favorite, but I think this may be the best one yet. The setting involving Delaney and her group on tour In Edinburgh is great and perfectly sets the stage as the plot twists, turns, and unfolds. Nefarious activity in the plot line includes identity theft, along with murder, of course. As always, Ms Shelton’s characters are very well-developed. They’re most definitely not boring cookie-cutter characters. In he end, all is explained, but not until after an unexpected climax.

Fateful Words by Paige Shelton is the 8th book in the Scottish Bookshop mysteries and was an excellent escape from "real life".
Ms. Shelton descriptive writing produced a multi-layered plot with ever increasing twists and turns as Delaney leads Edwin's annual literary tour of Edinburgh. The characters have grown into genuine people for me over the series and I would love to meet each one. There is such a strong bond between Edwin, Delaney, Rosie and Hamlet and it shows in this book even more than previously. This story also allowed me to get to know Tom, Delaney's husband, better than in previous books which I felt was an added bonus. Ms. Shelton showcases many literary references and historical facts and myths as Delaney takes the four guests on the tour of Edinburgh that made the story richer for me. The suspenseful ending had me gripping my Kindle and hoping along with Delaney for a "magical" resolution. I'm ready for my next trip to Edinburgh to visit The Cracked Spine Bookshop.

I have another great cozy mystery recommendation! Fateful Words is actually #8 in the Scottish Bookshop Mystery series but the first I've read and it was totally fine as a stand-alone. Although now I need to go back and read the first 7 since I loved this one so much!

Delaney Nichols sells books at the Cracked Spine bookstore in Edinburgh. Every year, her boss Edwin conducts a small exclusive bookish tour through the town. But this year Delaney finds out she has to host the tour when Edwin has to leave town under mysterious circumstances. The group arrives and everything seems to start as planned until the manager of the inn where the tour guests are staying is thrown off the roof. When a member of the tour goes missing, it becomes obvious that not all is what it seems.

What follows is the unfolding of a couple different mysteries, with the addition of the actual book tour. Usually the mystery itself is the most entertaining part in books of this genre. But I think I enjoyed the book tour the most! The author did such a great job at describing the setting, sites, and the tour members' reactions that I felt like I was a part of the group. It was so much fun. I've been wanting to visit Scotland for a long time but this book made me want to even more.

I highly recommend adding to your list if you're a fan of cozy mysteries and settings in Scotland!
{Thank you to @netgalley @stmartinspress @minotaur_books for allowing me access to an eARC in exchange for my honest review.}

Edwin the owner of The Cracked Spine bookshop hosts an invitation only yearly tour of Edinburgh. This year he has gone to London on an emergency. So now Delaney has been convinced to do it in his place.
On the first night of the tour things don't start off very good. One of the tourists disappears, now Delaney needs to keep track of the others, as she tries to figure out what is happening.
I love getting to go back to Edinburgh and walk the twisted streets. Getting to revisit places I have seen and the history.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this book.

Wonderful series I really enjoyed the latest addition.Love the setting Edinburgh Scotland and the characters that come alive.Paige Sheltons writing never fails to draw me in keeps me involved. #netgalley #fatefulwords.

Title: Fateful Words
Author: Paige Shelton
Genre: Cozy mystery
Rating: 4 out of 5

When Edwin, Delaney’s boss at the Cracked Spine bookstore, leaves town on secret business, Delaney is called upon to guide his yearly literary tour around Edinburgh. But on the first night of the tour, at the inn where the tour group is staying, the inn manager falls—or is pushed—off the roof of the inn, and killed. Then, one of the tour members disappears, leaving a trail of puzzles in her wake.

In a race against the clock, Delaney sets out on the expedition of her life, following clues around Edinburgh to get to the bottom of this mystery. Exploring sights from Greyfriars Bobby to the Royal Mile to the Sir Walter Scott Monument, she'll have to put the pieces together quickly, or the bookstore's survival could be on the line...as well as her own.

This was a solid read. I love the bookstore setting—and the family of employees there. I feel like the people on the tour, and Delaney herself, were willfully overlooking some obvious tells and warning signs here, and I really didn’t find it believable about her calling the inspector every other second, but this was a fun read, with a lot of cool details about Edinburgh.

Paige Shelton lives in Arizona. Fateful Words is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

(Blog link live 4/8.)

Great characters and a well-plotted mystery. I loved getting to know the participants in Edwin’s literary tour and was a little sad when they all headed home, wishing Luka was a full-time character. As always, the setting was fantastic and though I figured out who the guilty party was early on, it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the story. Highly recommended and while the mystery itself is a standalone, there’s a lot of backstory that is better explained as the series grows so try to start at the first one.

Fateful Words by Paige Shelton takes us back to Scotland and Delaney, Tom, and the crew at the Cracked Spine. Every year Edwin hosts an exclusive tour of Edinburgh highlighting the places where books and movies take place. It is by invitation only and Edwin pays all the costs for the participants. This year, much to her surprise, the day before the guests arrive, Delany is tasked with hosting the tour, and Edwin and Hamlet have whisked themselves off to London for some mysterious reason. She is intimidated but Rose has all Edwin’s notes and Tom has offered to accompany her so all is well. Or so it seems until things start happening. When Delany checks at the inn to be sure everything is ready, she is greeted by the news that Edwin’s card has been declined. She offers her own, knowing this is an error. Later, the manager, Geoff, with whom she had spoken, appears to have thrown himself off the roof, causing his death. This tour is not starting off well.

As always, Shelton has made this character-driven novel, a delight, not only with the regulars but with an influx of new and interesting personas to round out the mix. Delaney’s insatiable curiosity can’t keep her for investigating: so many strange things kept happening, mostly small things, but when taken together paint an interesting picture. It was a good mystery, with all the characters and clues in place. Shelton has made this into any endearing setting and one that always makes the reader feel a part of the bookstore, the pub, and the story. Excellent job, Paige Shelton.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Fateful Words St Martin’s Press, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #StMartinsPress #PaigeShelton #FatefulWords

Delaney Nichols is an American living and working in The Cracked Spine, a bookstore in Edinburgh, Scotland. Edwin, the store's owner, is out of town under mysterious circumstances, and his annual guided tour of Edinburgh falls into Delaney's lap. She is worried about Edwin but can't get any answers. She feels unprepared for the challenge because she is not a native to the city, but her husband, pub owner Tom Shannon is happy to pitch in.

The tour members are disappointed Edwin is not their guide but are persuaded to give Delaney a chance rather than return in a year. The door soon goes off the rails with an attack that leaves someone injured, a suspicious death and a mysterious disappearance.

As the reader, you feel like you're part of the tour as well. The descriptions of the city, landmarks and history make the book an experience. The plot moves deliberately, with several subplots nicely wrapped up in the end.

Fateful Words is the eighth in the Scottish Bookshop Mysteries. I didn't realize I was so far into the series. It stands well on its own, but I look forward to backtracking to read the previous volumes.

I received this Advanced Reader Copy of Fateful Words from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press /Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest review.

I have enjoyed this entire series set in atmospheric Edinburg Scotland at a historic bookkstore. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. My review opinion is my own.

Delany has the shock of her life when her boss suddenly leaves her in charge of a literary tour group of Edinburg. She is in for further shock when they attempt to check into the hotel where he made reservations and his card is declined. Delany steps up and continues to assure the group the tour will go on. When one member dies the apparent victim of a rooftop murder Delany is on the case. When another member disappears on tour Delany knows foul play is involved and soon is piecing together clues and suspects as she does so well.

This is a fun addtion to the series and a enjoyable cozy read . I loved the setting, the charcters and the well plotted sleuth. Well done to the author. I look forward to the next in series.

I'm new to this series set in a Scottish bookstore, but I think I'll be checking out the other stories in this series. In this cozy little mystery set in Edinburgh, Scotland, Delaney has to give the literary tour to 4 people around Edinburgh as her boss Edwin has left town for some mysterious reason. Being from Kansas but now married to a Tom, a local pub owner, Delaney is very wary about this new task but rises to the occasion and thinks to offer a fresh perspective from one who is new to Scotland. Besides using Edwin's itinerary she adds literary thoughts and quotes from books. However, things go awry when the group is witness to the murder of the inn keeper where they are staying and then other strange things begin happening. Should Delaney continue with the tour, what would Edwin do? Getting to know her group, they continue only to have more odd things happen when one of their group disappears. Now what? Delaney and Tom try to figure out the mystery to find the murderer and also what is really going on at the inn. Lots of twists and turns, this story will carry you on as you follow along with Delaney in her quest to solve the mystery. I think it has just the right ingredients to keep you interested as you curl up and read and sip your tea or Scottish whiskey. In the genre of cozy mysteries, it was a fun read and had all the elements.

Delaney Nichols has been asked by her boss Edwin from the Cracked Spine Bookshop to host his annual tour of Edinburgh for the 5 lucky winners. Delaney isn't sure that she is truly qualified since she only moved to Scotland a few years ago but with Edwin's notes and her husband Tom with her, she takes on the assignment, Things get very mysterious when one of the tourists disappears after the manager of the B&B where the guests are staying falls or is pushed to his death while the front desk clerk is brutalized and in a coma. Should Delaney continue the tour or shut it down before more people are hurt?

I always feel as if I've really been to Edinburgh every time I visit the Cracked Spine because of the wonderfully descriptive narratives.

While I haven't read any of the other books in this series, I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Delaney, Edwin and the rest of the Cracked Spine bookstore gang. Now, I'm looking forward to going back and reading more of this series.

Edwin has an annual tradition of inviting four people to his bookshop for a personalized tour of Edinburgh. Only this year, an unexpected emergency has called him away, and American transplant Delaney is the only one remotely capable of guiding their guests.

The only problem is, one of their guests isn't who she says she is, and murder and mayhem soon transpire. The question is, can Delaney figure out what's going on and where Edwin has disappeared to before time runs out?

I highly recommend this story for anyone who enjoys literary tours, bookshop mysteries, and close-knit communities.

Thank you to Paige Shelton, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advance review copy.

Yes this is a cozy mystery but it's also a bit of a love letter to literary Edinburgh. Delany is both happy and a little worried when she must lead the annual tour of Edinburgh for important visitors because Edwin has disappeared and then it turns out that his credit card was declined. She's been working for him for a while now and she's used to unusual things happening but this is odder than usual. And then Geoff, the manager of the inn is pushed off the roof- was it one of the visitors? Delany, an intrepid American, and her husband Tom, who owns the pub across the street from the Inn, and their friend Inspector Winter investigate. Each of the four visitors has a secret, as, obviously, does Edwin (well, he has more than one). I like this series for the characters but also for the atmospherics-Shelton always makes me want to get on a plane to Scotland (I usually find myself wiki'ing things). It's a great addition to the series but will also be fine as a standalone. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A very satisfying read.

Every year four lucky people are chosen to participate in a literary tour of Edinburgh conducted by Edwin, the owner of a Scottish bookstore. When Edwin suddenly leaves on mysterious business just before the latest tour, he hands over the tour to his employee Delaney with little notice. After greeting the group she directs them to the local inn, where Edwin had made reservations. The first problem arises when the manager of the inn threatens to turn them away. Edwin’s card had been declined and Delaney was forced to pay for the reservations. Despite the setback, the participants are eager to begin. Delaney provides a delightful tour that takes the group from the Royal Mile to the Sir Walter Scott monument. She regales the group with tales of famous authors and points out little known locations. Delaney’s husband Tom, a local bar owner, accompanies the group to add support and stories of his own. Returning to the inn, Delaney discovers an attack on one of the employees followed shortly by the manager’s fall from the roof of the building. The next day Meera, a member of the tour group, disappears. When Delaney discovers that Meera was an imposter, she questions the timing of the disappearance and a possible connection to events at the inn. The mystery of Edwin’s sudden departure also preys on her mind. Making a number of observations as she conducts her tour and reaches out to the manager’s wife along with Tom, she is in constant contact with Inspector Winters, who she has worked with in the past. Following one of her suspects leads to threats on her own life.

Fateful Words is a mystery that moves slowly as the tour winds its’ way through the city. Paige Shelton gives the reader a diverse group that works well together. It is not until late in the story that she reveals Edwin’s reason for his sudden disappearance and how it eventually ties into the events at the inn. This is a cozy mystery that will also appeal to book lovers. I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for providing this book for my review.

Delightful cozy mystery that takes place in Edinburgh, Scotland. I really enjoyed the setting (and the related historical and literary references) and the characters. The plot was multilayered and complex. This was the 8th in this series and the first one I've read but I found it to be fine as a standalone. Would definitely read more of this series.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free e-ARC of this book.